Gratomic Inc. has resumed activity at its Aukam Graphite Mine in southern Namibia, mobilising staff on August 23, 2025, for the first time this year.
The move follows a difficult stretch marked by reporting delays, financial strain, and leadership changes.
The Aukam deposit, located in the //Karas Region about 200 km from Lüderitz, is a historic vein graphite mine that produced an estimated 22,000 tonnes of graphite between 1940 and 1974.
Operations ceased as global demand shifted, and the site remained dormant for decades.
In the early 2010s, the licenses covering Aukam were held by Next Graphite Inc., a US-listed junior company that struggled to advance the project due to a lack of funding. In 2014, Canadian-listed CKR Carbon Corporation (later renamed Gratomic Inc.) entered into a joint venture with Next Graphite to explore and redevelop the Aukam project.
By 2016, Gratomic had secured control of the licenses, including the coveted Mining License, and began positioning itself as the project operator.
Since then, Gratomic has partnered locally with Perpetuus Carbon Technologies and Namibian stakeholders, notably through the involvement of Helao Shivolo, who serves as in-country representative and government liaison.
The company also invested in exploration, bulk sampling, and construction of pilot processing facilities, confirming that Aukam’s graphite could achieve purities of 97–99% Cg, suitable for use in electric vehicle (EV) battery anodes.
Restart Plans
The latest mobilisation brings workers back to site to prepare the plant and mine for restart. The on-site team is led by Senior Geologist and Acting Mine Manager Raimund Rental and Namibian partner Helao Shivolo, with staff accommodated in housing previously built at Aukam.
Gratomic plans to mine 7,000 tonnes of ore, adding to the existing 3,000-tonne stockpile. This will bring the run-of-mine pad to capacity and provide feedstock for up to 12 months of processing.
The company is targeting first-phase production of 7,600 tonnes of finished graphite concentrate, with the installation of final components scheduled to achieve 97% Cg purity for late September 2025.
Meanwhile, Rental’s team is finalising a 10,000-metre drilling program due to commence in early 2026, designed to follow up on mineralisation identified in the 2022–2023 campaigns. The program will complete infill drilling required for a new NI 43-101 Technical Report and support the company’s planned Feasibility Study.
Financial Reporting and Corporate Challenges
The restart comes after a period of corporate difficulty. Gratomic fell behind on its mandatory financial reporting in 2024, prompting warnings from the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and the risk of a cease-trade order. In response, the company changed auditors from D&H Group LLP to McGovern Hurley LLP. All financial documentation has now been submitted, and the annual audit for December 31, 2024, is underway. Management has said it expects to file its outstanding audited financial statements “in the near term.”
During this period, Gratomic’s leadership, including CEO Manie Silver and Chairman Arno Brand, also agreed to forego executive compensation in an effort to reduce costs. The company disposed of non-core assets, renewed mining licenses, and pursued potential off-take agreements to maintain momentum.
Risks and Outlook
Gratomic has cautioned that its decision to pursue production at Aukam has not been based on a Preliminary Economic Assessment, Preliminary Feasibility Study, or Feasibility Study. To date, no mineral resources or reserves demonstrating economic viability and technical feasibility have been delineated. As a result, risks remain high regarding costs, recoveries, and achieving commercial-scale production.
The company is now working toward completing a Feasibility Study, which will determine whether the Aukam processing plant can be scaled up to a commercial facility.
Gratomic is a Canadian-headquartered graphite development company with projects in Namibia, Brazil, and Canada. Aukam is its flagship asset. Through its Namibian partnership and local representation, the company aims to position Aukam as a source of high-purity vein graphite for the global electric vehicle battery supply chain.
